AS I STEP ONTO THE PLATFORM MY STOMACH IS TURNING, MY HEAD, HANDS, AND CHEEKS SEEM TO BE BURNING. I WALK UP TO THE BAR AND I FEEL SO SMALL, BUT ALL I SHOULD BE THINKING IS GETTING REAL TALL. I KNEEL LOWER AND LOWER THEN GRASP MY HANDS TO THE BAR, AND I LOOK FOR A FOCUS POINT, ONE THAT'S NOT TOO FAR. I THINK OF ALL THE THINGS I HAVE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS, THIS LIFT SEEMS SO HARD THAT IT EVEN BRINGS TEARS.

"ENOUGH" I SAY JUST LIFT THE WEIGHT!!! LIFT IT WITH POWER, WITH HONOR, AND FATE!! IN A COUPLE OF SECONDS AFTER WHAT SEEMS LIKE YEARS, I AM DONE WITH MY LIFT, I AM DONE WITH MY FEARS! I AM GREETED WITH HUGS, CONGRATULATIONS, AND CHEERS, AND ONCE AGAIN, BECAUSE I AM HAPPY, DO I BEGIN TO SHED TEARS.